Pacific Island Independence: Can Island Nations Avoid Dependence?

Sione Tupouniua

doi:10.63428/keydw957

Pacific Island Independence

Can Island Nations Avoid Dependence?

Sione Tupouniua

Volume 1, Number 1 (1985) 1 (1): 41-51

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.63428/keydw957

Keywords Economic Dependence, Political Sovereignty, Neo-colonialism, Self-relience, Structural Adjustement, Pacific Islands, Military Alliances, Manpower Localization, Foreign Experts, Export-Driven Economies, Strategies for Economic Independence in Small Island Nations, Challenges of Post-Colonial Education Systems in the Pacific

Abstract

This article analyzes Pacific Island nations' struggle to achieve meaningful independence beyond political sovereignty. It argues that military alliances with major powers (USA, France, Australia), economic reliance on foreign institutions, and intellectual dependence through Western education perpetuate neo-colonial control. Key findings reveal fragmented economies dominated by external demand, limited inter-sectoral linkages, and foreign-designed institutions. The author proposes eight strategies for autonomy, including national self-reliance, manpower localization, rural development, and public sector-led industrialization. Crucially, capitalist frameworks are deemed insufficient; socialist alternatives may better support true economic independence. Pacific Islanders must reject imitation, leverage cultural heritage, and assert unique development paths to overcome systemic dependencies.